Container and mold for molten metal



Patented ll/iay 8, 1923.

rasrosz HUBEBT A. MYERS, OF TOLEDO, AND ARTEEMES D. STRAW, OFWAUSEON,-OHIO,

ASSIGNORS TO THE HUBERT A. MYERS RATION OF OHIO.

COMBANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPO- COITTAINER/ AND HOLD FOR MOLTENMETAL.

No Drawing. Original application filed January 27, 1921, Serial No.440,501. Divided and this application filed. January 13,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HUBERT A.. MYERS and ARTEEMES D. STRAW, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Toledo, Lu-

cas County, Ohio, and Wauseon, Fulton County, Ohio, respectively, havemade an Invention Appertaining to Containers and Molds for Molten Metal;and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to i which it appertains to make and use the same.

This ap lication is a division of our apw plication, r. No. 440,501,filed January 27,

Our invention has for its object to pro-. vide articles or devices formanipulating molten metal, such as for containing or conveyingo'rcasting molten metal, and where-' in free flow or free delivery of themetal from the article may be obtained, either while the metal is in amolten, in a semlplastic, or in a solid state. The inventionparticularly has for its object to produce articles for manipulatingmolten metals, such as runners, troughs, ladles, or molds, containingmetal at or near the contact surfaces of the article with the moltenmetal, that are so constructed that erosion or pitting of the article bythe metal will be avoided. When our invention is embodied in molds,rapid and economical production of smooth, perfect castings may be madewithout injury to the molds.

Heretofore unsuccessful efforts have been made to prevent thedestructive action of molten metal on metal articles orarticlescontaining metal at or near the contact surfaces of the article with themolten metal, by the use of coatings or linings formed of variousmaterials, such as clay, graphite,

and similar surfacing materials, since such coatings easily crack or arebrushed from the permanent parts of the ladles or molds or pots, thusdestroying their utility. Also some coating materials heretofore usedcause pitting of the hot metal if it is allowed 1922. Serial No.529,030.

to solidify within the article, and other materials will not adhere tothe surface of-the I article if the heated metal is moved over thesurface, and others will not withstand high tem eratures.

etal articles or metal containing articles for manipulating molten metaland embodying our invention are provided with a protective material thatwill not be removed or destroyed, or its efliciency injuriouslyaffected, either by heat or from the contact and flow of the moltenmetal. The protec- If the gasifiable material is oxidizable in air at atemperature below the melting oint of the metal manipulated or containein the article, a coating of the oxide will also be formed over thearticle which will be heat insulating in character, and thus reduce theeffect of the molten metal'on' the article and on the gas formisubstance deposited at the surface of th article. We preferably use amaterial that will alloy with or have an aflinity for or an ionic orelectric attraction for the substances of which the body of the articleis wholly or partially composed; .or a material that will readilypenetrate the surface of the article and thus impregnate the article; ora metalliferous gasifiable or vaporizing material that will deposit onor become incorporated within the surface of the article.

The gasifiable substance used is of such a character that it will gasifyat a temperature below the melting point of the metal to be brought incontact with the article. In the preventcase of molds,'th'e gasifyingpoint of the'gas forming substances should be above the temperature atwhich the mold is maintained in order to produce soft castings, andbelow the temperature of the molten metal to be cast in the mold. Theselection of the gas forming substances will therefore depend upon themelting point of the metal to be brought in contact with the article.For instance, if molten brass is to be manipulated, gas form* ingsubstances having relatively low gasifying points'should be used, suchas cadmium and zinc chloride. In manipulating iron, materials such aszinc magnesium, cadmium and barium may beused. If high speed steel is tobe cast it may be found desirable to use zinc, barium or bismuth as agas forming material, since these substances and compounds thereof, andmixtures containing them, are gas or vapor forming substances, andproduce a substantially perfect protective coating between the articleand the metal. The term gas will be used herein to include both gas andvapor.

Zinc is especially suitable for use in'protecting' ferrous metalarticles, or articles containing ferrous metals, from molten metals,particularly ferrous molten metals, for the reason that zinc has avaporizing point as well as a boiling point, that is, it has a gasifyingpoint, below the melting point of iron, and thus will produce a smallamount of gas substantially in film form between the article and themolten metal when subjected to the heat of the molten metal. This willoperate to protect the article and, if the metal is allowed to coolwithin the article, as in a mold, the metal contained in the articlewill be delivered with smooth surfaces and without pits or blow-holes.In case of a mold, some of the vapor or gas may be partially taken up bythe mold or the casting, or both, and if any remains after the castingis discharged it will be precipitated as white oxide of zinc on thesurface of the mold. Also the zinc metal on its surface will be oxidizedby contact with the air. Furthermore, the zinc has an afiinity for andis electropositive to the iron and will automatically distribute itselfunder the action of the heat of the molten metal so as to keep thesurfaces of the article supplied with the proper amount of zinc, and incase of molds, a sufficient quantity of the zinc will be drawn to thesurface of the mold to metals, the molds may be heated and maintained ata substantially uniform temperature to produce soft castings andejected, if desired, while the interior of the casting is still in amolten condition. Also ferrous castings may be made in ferrous moldswithout preheating, and the casting left in the mold until it hashardened throughout. any case, the casting and the mold are read-- ilyseparated, which enables an assured delivery of allparts of the castingfrom the mold, even though some of the surfaces of the casting may bedrawn over or parallel with the surface of the mold. Articles containingour invention thus may be used continuously or repeatedly withoutrepeating the treatment or depositionof the protective material on theirsurface s,.and in the case of molds, repeated castings may be madewithout repeating the treatment, or, if desired, the molds may bequickly and easily treated after each casting or pouring operation. Alsocastings may be easily discharged from the mold when they have setsufficiently to retain their form, or they may be permitted to remain inthe mold as long as desired, whether the mold is hot or cold, andwithout injuriously affecting the matrix thereof or adhering to themold.

When the articles have been properly treated with the protectivematerial, only a small volume of gas will be formed from the gas formingmaterial. If the gas forming substances are incorporated in the body ofthe article the heat from the molten metal will cause the formation of alimited amount of gas and will automatically and regulatively approachthe heated surface of the article, and thus replenish the supply of suchsubstances at the surface where itis needed. Also the oxide of the gasforming material, as in the case of zinc, will be produced when it comesin contact with the air, as upon removal of the molten metal from thearticle, or of a casting from "a mold, if the article be a mold, andform a surface coating of metallic oxide on the article, which will tendto reduce the amount of the gas formed'because of the heat resistingcharacter of a finely divided oxide or of the. gas confining characterof an encrusted oxide. If the oxide is itself gasifiable it ,willgenerally only be .so at a higher temperature than that at which theoxide is formed, and the amount of gas produced from the oxide will becomparatively small. If, on the other hand, the gas forming substance islocated only on the molding surface the amounts of gas that aresuccessfully formed may be controlled either by regulating the amount ofthe gas forming substances placed on the surface. or by depositing withit or upon it a suitable heat insulating material, such as lamp black,or oxide of a'metal, such as zinc oxide.

We use preferably materials that will alloy with or be absorbed or havean affinity for the material of. which the article is composed so thatthe gas forming substances may be readily incorporated in the article orwill adhere thereto and thus insure a suitable supply of gas forcontinuous or repeated use of the article.

Iffthe article material and the gas forming substance are such that theformer will absorb the latter, as when iron molds 'are used with zinc asthe gas forming material, the article may be impregnated or covered withthe gas forming material in any suitable way, such as by submerging thearticle in the molten gasifiable metal until the artitle at its surfacehas become saturated therewith. The article is then removed from themolten inetaland all the surplus free metal brushed from the surfaces,when it is ready for use in making a large number of castings. The gasforming material.

may be deposited on the article by directing it in a gaseous conditionagainst the article surface where it willcongeal in the form of a powderin some instances, or form a smooth surface metallic coating, dependingon the temperature of the article. ticles may be placed in a metallicgas which will result in surfacing the article with a gasifiable metal.If oxygen is present some of the metal will be oxidized and deposited.The amount of oxide of the metal that will thus be formed will dependupon the amount If oxygem]v or concentration of the oxygen. such asatmospheric oxygen, has opportunity to completely burn the heated vapor,then only the oxide will be deposited on the article. The oxide thusdeposited may be partially reduced, either by the reducing action ofmolten iron and carbon of the iron, if the article is to be used for themanipu'la tion of molten iron, or by the carbon deposited as a coating,as when lamp black is used in connection with molds, or by a reducingflame or it may remain and act as a heat insulating neutral coat thatwill protect the metal of the mold. The protective material may beapplied in any suitable way, such as sprayingor painting the material onthe article.

Articles formed of compositions or mixtules'of certain materials mayalso be treated with )IOtGCtlYQZSUBStHIICGS in the same way that fhemetallic articles described above are treated, and which will coact inthe same manner in connection with the articles and the heated metal.

The articles may be formed of a variety of materials. We have, however,found it preferable to use compositions that contain clav as one of theingredients. To the clav may be added one or more metals which will meltduring the calcination of the clay and thus bind the clay. Thecomposition of the article may therefore be made up of a mix ture ofclay, won and nickel, or other ma- Also the ar-I terials, if desired.Articles formed of clay and nickel or of clay and iron, we have found,will take up or absorb large quantities of zinc and will deliver it ,tothe sur fore be such that it will be absorbed by the clay or it may besuch that it will forin an alloy with or have an affinity for one ormoreof the metals incorporated in the article, such as the iron of thearticle. The protection afforded to the article by the gasifiablematerial prevents the molten metal from attacking and disintegrating thematerials of which the article is composed, thus materially adding tothe life of the article.

The protective material may be incorporated in an article formed of thecomposition described above bygasifying the protective material,preferably in a closed receptacle, so as to exclude air and preventoxidation of the protective material as in the case of zinc, and thuscausing absorption of the gas forming material, which, upon chilling,Will be deposited as a solid within the body of the article, such as inthe clay as well as in the iron of the article. Articles formed of suchcompositions may also be coated with suitable gas forming substances inthe same manner that iron articles may be coated as described above.

Our invention contemplates the production of articles for treatingmolten metals having protective material at or near the surface to bebrought in contact with the molten metal, that is, the protective material is located Where it will have an active protective relation to thearticle or the molten metal brought in contact therewith, and the wordat as used in the claims includes broadly at the surface, on thesurface, or within material near the surface of the article, but in'eachcase located in a po sition where it will function in its action, asbetween the article and the metal manipulated by the article.

Whether the gas producing-substance is incorporated in the article orlocated merely on the surface of the article, the amount of gasificationproduced by the heat of the molten metal may be regulated by depositingwith or upon the gas forming material a heat insulating material, suchas lamp black or metallic oxide that will not chemically reactdeleteriously on the materials of the article on the gas formingsubstances or on the metal manipulated by or contained in the articlelVhen lamp black is used it may be deposited on the surface bymeans ofan incomplete combustion flame ,tproduced from hydrogen, carbon gas,such as I acetylene gas. When the article is coated as distinct frombeing impregnated with the gas forming substances the heat insulatingmaterial may be deposited on the mold over the gas forming substances,or it may be deposited with the gas forming substances. Thus lamp blackor graphite may be used to cover the coatings of the metalliferousmaterial or the oxide of its metal, or

it may be deposited with the metalliferous material or the oxide of itsmetal.

Since gas forming substances, such as zinc, magnesium, cadmium, etc., ortheir oxides prevent the adherence of molten metal to metal or of moltenmetal to calcined clay,

ladles, crucibles, troughs, spouts, and other articles or parts offurnaces used in manipulating certain metals, suchas iron, brass, ctc.-,while in a molten state, may be treated with the metalliferoussubstances. This will not only protect the articles from the effect ofthe molten metal but will also assure. free flow and complete deliveryof the hot' metal manipulated in the use of the article,

and will permit the formation of smooth castings.

We claim:

1. An iron'mold for casting metals. having zinc distributed over'itsmatrix surface.

2. A mold for fusible materials having incorporated therein a materialgasifiable be-- 3. A metal mold for fusible materials havingincorporated therein a metal that will be absorbed by the castings.

4. A metal mold for fusible materials having a material that will meltbelow the temperature of molten steel incorporated withlow the meltingpoint-of steel.

. in the surfaceof the mold.

5. A metal mold for fusible materials having a metal that will meltbelow the tem- '10. A metal mold for casting fusible mate-' rials havinga metal fusible below the temperature of the fusible materials incorporated Wlthin the surface of the matrix.

11. A metal container having a'material the wall of the container havingzinc incor- I porated therein;

14. Aniold for castingmetals, the mold having zinc located at themolding surface. 15. A mold for casting metals the mold having zincincorporated therein contiguous to the moldingsurface.

16. A mold containing iron and having zinc incorporated therein.

17. A mold for casting metals, the mold having a metalliferous substanceat the surface of the mold that will form a gas below the temperature ofmolten iron.

18. A metal container for containing molten metals and having aprotective material containing zinc located at the inner surface of thecontainer.

19. A metal container for containing molten metals and having aprotective material containing zinc oxide located at the inner surfaceof the container.

20. A metal mold for casting ferrous metals and having a protectivematerial containing zinc located at the surface of the matrix of themold.

21. A metal' mold for casting ferrous metals and having a protectivematerial containing zinc oxide located at the surface .of the matrix ofthe mold.

22. A container for containing molten metals formed of a materialcontaining iron located near the inner surface of the contamer andhavlng a protective mater1al contamlng zinc located at the inner surfaceof the container.

23. A container for containing molten metals formed of a materialcontaining iron located near the inner surface of the container andhaving a protective material containing'oxide of a metal located at theinner surface 'of the container.

24:. A container for containing molten metals formed of a materialcontaining iron located near the inner surface of the container andhaving a protective material containing zinc oxide located at the innersurface of the container.

25. =A ferrous mold for casting ferrous metals, the surface of thematrix coated with zinc.

v 26. A ferrous mold for casting ferrous metals. the surface of thematrix coated with zinc oxide.

27. A ferrous mold for casting ferrous lic oxide on the inner surfacethereofythe metal of the oxide having a melting point I below that ofthe said molten metal. 7 metal and having a finely divided adhering Intestimony whereof, We have hereunto 5 metallic oxide on the innersurface thereof. signed our names to this specification. 29. A mold forcontaining molten metal HUBERT A. MYERS. and having a finely dividedadhering metal- AR'ITEEMES D. STRAW.

metals, the surface of the matrix coated with I zinc and zinc oxide.

28. A container for' containing molten

